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Photos: U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva 1948 — 2025
- Mamta Popat
- Updated
Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva died Thursday morning, March 13. He had been fighting lung cancer for about a year. He was 77.
Grijalva was born in Tucson and graduated from Sunnyside High School and the University of Arizona. He served on the Tucson Unified School District board from 1974–1986. He was elected to the Pima County Board of Supervisors in 1989 and the U.S. House of Representatives in 2002.
Raúl Grijalva, 1980
Tucson school board member Raúl Grijalva at historic Carrillo School in 1980.
Tucson CitizenRaúl Grijalva
Congressman Raúl Grijalva who was born on historic Canoa Ranch in Pima County. This photo shows him his father, Raúl Grijalva, his mother Rafaela Grijalva, and his mother's sister, Sara Martinez. Grijalva is about 3 years old.
Courtesy Raúl GrijalvaRaúl Grijalva, 1967
Raúl Grijalva, shown his senior year at Sunnyside High School's 1967 yearbook. He wasn't active in any high school clubs or student government and didn't even use his given name because teachers had difficulty pronouncing it. When he was in college, he found his future calling after joining MEChA, a student Chicano activist group.
James S. Wood, Arizona Daily StarRaúl Grijalva, 1974
A U.S. District Court lawsuit filed against Tucson School District One Board of Trustees lies before members of minority groups explaining their battle for minority representation on the school board on March 28, 1974. At right is Raúl Grijalva and beside him is Mary Mendoza, chairman of the Mexican-American for Equal Opportunity, two of the plaintiffs in the suit.
Jose Galvez, Arizona Daily StarRaúl Grijalva, 1977
Tucson Unified School District board member Raul Grijalva in 1977.
Tucson CitizenRaúl Grijalva, 1977
Tucson Unified School District board member Raúl Grijalva in 1977.
Tucson CitizenRaúl Grijalva, 1978
Tucson Unified School District board members Raúl M. Grijalva and Soleng Tom at the desegregation press conference in 1978.
Joe Vitti, Arizona Daily StarRaúl Grijalva, 1978
Tucson Unified School District board member Raúl Grijalva in 1978.
Tucson CitizenRaúl Grijalva, 1980
Tucson school board member Raúl Grijalva at historic Carrillo School in 1980.
Tucson CitizenRaúl Grijalva, 1986
Raúl Grijalva, at the site of Hohokam Middle School at 7400 S Settler Ave., as it was being built on November 25, 1986. Grijalva was in the process of leaving the Tucson Unified School School Board and becoming a member of the Pima County Board of Supervisors.
Xavier Gallegos, Tucson CitizenRaúl Grijalva, 1986
Tucson Unified School District Chairman Raúl Grijalva pauses as he reads to a class at Wakefield Jr High School on February 13, 1986.
Gary Gaynor, Tucson CitizenRaúl Grijalva, 1988
Raul Grijalva after winning a seat on the Pima County Board of Supervisors in November, 1988.
Rick Wiley, Tucson CitizenRaúl Grijalva, 1996
Raúl Grijalva stands in the doorway of his campaign headquarters on S. 12th ave. on election night, Sept. 10, 1996, as he awaits results in the District 5 race for Pima County Supervisor.
Brian Winter, Arizona Daily StarRaúl Grijalva, 1997
Raúl Grijalva listens during the Pima County Interfaith Council Economic Summit at El Pueblo Neighborhood Center in 1997.
David Sanders, Arizona Daily StarRaúl Grijalva, 2000
(From Left) Leonard Basurto, Director of Bilingual Education for TUSD, Raúl Grijalva, Pima County Board of Supervisors, Elena Parra, Parent and Clinical Psychologist, and Sheilah Nicholas, UA Department of American Indian Studies, discuss their personal experiences concerning bilingual education as well as their stand towards Proposition 203 in 2000. Proposition 203 on the November ballot would virtually eliminate bilingual education in Arizona and replace it with an all-English "immersion" program for children whose English is limited.
Kristy Mangos, Arizona Daily StarRaúl Grijalva, 2002
Raúl Grijalva, running for U.S. Congressional District 7, is congratulated by Richard Elias, currently a Pima County Supervisor, during the Democratic primary in September, 2002.
Jeffry Scott, Arizona Daily StarRaúl Grijalva, 2002
U.S. Congressman-elect, Raúl Grijalva gives a phone interview while his campaign manager Ana M. Ma drives to the Grijalva Elementary School to speak to students the day after the election Nov. 11, 2002.
Max Becherer / Arizona Daily StarRaúl Grijalva, 2002
Arizona Senator Jon Kyl, U.S Rep-elect Raúl Grijalva and US Rep. Jim Kolbe listen to US Department of Transportation Inspector Jose Rivas explain the function of the hand held computer which brings up the status and vital information on commercial vehicles which pass this check-pint at the Mariposa Port of Entry west of Nogales on Dec. 5, 2002.
Max Becherer, Arizona Daily StarRaúl Grijalva, 2002
U.S. Congressman-elect, Raúl Grijalva starts to show his lack of sleep while talking on the phone the day after the election on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2002.
Max Becherer, Arizona Daily StarRaúl Grijalva, 2003
Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz., accompanied by his wife Ramona, takes a mock House oath from House Speaker Dennis Hastert on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2003, in Washington, after the House was officially sworn in to the 108th Congress.
Joe Marquette, AP PhotoRaúl Grijalva, 2003
US Sen John McCain, left, and Congressman Raúl Grijalva tour the border crossing at the Mariposa port of entry in Nogales, Ariz., on Friday, Mar 14, 2003, with Undersecretary of Homeland Security Asa Hutchinson to assess efforts to tighten the border and deter terrorist and radiological and weapon infiltration.
A.E. Araiza, Arizona Daily StarRaúl Grijalva, 2004
U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva, a University of Arizona alumnus, delivered the commencement address at UA on Dec. 18, 2004. He challenged the graduates to rise to the challenges of today's world.
Chris Richards, Arizona Daily StarRaúl Grijalva, 2005
U.S. Congressman Raúl Grijalva talks with workers at the Mission Mine outside Tucson, Ariz., as they strike against ASARCO for unfair labor practices on Thursday, July 7, 2005. The congressman was their to offer support for their efforts.
A.E. Araiza, Arizona Daily StarRaúl Grijalva, 2008
United States Representative Raúl Grijalva, speaks during a press conference on Tumamoc Hill on August 22, 2008 in Tucson, Ariz. El Paso Natural Gas has agreed to test its pipeline under Tumamoc by using a less environmentally destructive plan. The company is required to do pipeline testing, but as opposed to digging up the 1,800 feet of gas line under Tumamoc, it will use small track hoes to unearth small segments.
Dean Knuth, Arizona Daily StarRaúl Grijalva, 2009
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, second from left, stands in a 4th and 5th grade classroom at Ochoa Elementary School with the school's principal, Heidi Aranda, far left, and Congressman Raúl Grijalva in 2009. Secretary Duncan was at the school to meet with educators and elected officials as part of his Listening and Learning tour.
Mamta Popat, Arizona Daily StarRaúl Grijalva, 2009
Frank Y. Valenzuela, left, executive director of the Community Investment Corporation, talks with U.S. Congressman Raúl Grijalva and Ana M. Ma before a presentation to group of small business owners in the Proscenium Theatre at Pima Community College on Tuesday, June 30, 2009, in Tucson, Ariz.
A.E. Araiza, Arizona Daily StarRaúl Grijalva, 2010
Congressman Raúl Grijalva hugs his daugher, Adelita Grajalva, as they wait for election results at the Grijalva headquarters on South Stone Ave. on November 2, 2010. Adelita was running for TUSD School Board.
Jill Torrance, Arizona Daily StarRaúl Grijalva, 2011
Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chair, Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz., center, expresses his disapproval of the debt ceiling agreement during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, Aug. 1, 2011. Listening at back are Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., left, and Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif.
Manuel Balce Ceneta, Associated PressRaúl Grijalva, 2011
U.S. Congressman Raúl Grijalva, right, congratulates Ward 1 councilwoman Regina Romero, left, after she won her primary race,Tuesday, August 30, 2011, at the Riverpark Inn at 350 S. Freeway.
David Sanders,Arizona Daily StarRaúl Grijalva, 2011
Arizona Governor Jan Brewer and Rep. Raúl Grijalva await the arrival of President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama on Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011 at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. The Obamas are in Tucson, Az. to attend a memorial service at the University of Arizona for the six people who died in Saturday's mass shooting that left Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz. in critical condition.
Chris Morrison, AP PhotoRaúl Grijalva, 2013
Members of the Congressional Border Caucus, l-r, Congressmen Raúl Grijalva AZ, Beto O'Rourke (TX), and Filemon Vela (TX) talk with reporters at a press conference following an Ad Hoc hearing on immigration held at the Board of Supervisors Hearing Room, 2150 N Congress Dr. in Nogales, Ariz. on Friday, September 13, 2013.
Ron Medvescek, Arizona Daily StarRaúl Grijalva, 2014
US Rep. Raúl Grijalva, center, laughs as a plaque with his image is uncovered at the western-most stop of the streetcar line as dignitaries and city officials attend the dedication via the streetcar on Monday, July 21, 2014.
A.E. Araiza, Arizona Daily StarRaúl Grijalva, 2016
U.S. Representative Raúl Grijalva introduces U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders during a Future to Believe In Tucson Rally on March 18, 2016 at the Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church Ave.
Mamta Popat, Arizona Daily StarRaúl Grijalva, 2016
Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz., right, and other Democrat members of Congress, participate in sit-down protest seeking a a vote on gun control measures, Wednesday, June 22, 2016, on the floor of the House on Capitol Hill in Washington.
Courtesy Raúl GrijalvaRaúl Grijalva, 2013
Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz., center, joins immigration reform supporters as they block a street on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013, during a rally protesting immigration policies and the House GOP’s inability to pass a bill that contains a pathway to citizenship.
Manuel Balce Ceneta, AP PhotoRaúl Grijalva, 2016
Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., speaks during the first day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia , Monday, July 25, 2016.
J. Scott Applewhite, AP PhotoRaúl Grijalva, 2017
From left, Rep. Sander Levin, D-Mich., Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, and Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich. gather after GOP leaders announced they have forged an agreement on a sweeping overhaul of the nation's tax laws, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2017.
Andrew Harnik, AP PhotoRaúl Grijalva, 2024
Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz., leaves a meeting of House Democrats on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, in Washington.
Mark Schiefelbein, AP Photo
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